How do I "mask" a layer

I want to use layers (I know I can use a blender but I want to try layers) there is literally half a page in the manual that basically says, click the add button. Great, how do I mask the output from the new layer?

Since you have it figured out..........and we're on the topic of masks, perhaps someone can help me with Evolution's lip mask. The specular settings do not honor the mask, so on Evo, she has a large, pronounced ring around her lips where the specular settings really intrude.

@Glitterati3D This is what I do:
1)Go into your face zone and select all the nodes for the face except the root and collapse them into a compound node. Rename this compound node "face" or whatever you like.

do the same for the glossy lip nodes for the lip and call that compound node "lips."

copy the face compound node and paste it into the lip zone.

create a mix shader and plug in your lip and face compound nodes into it. Use your lip mask as the modulator.

copy the entire shader with both compound nodes and Paste (replace) the shader in the face zone with your double compound node.
On PE you don't need to have the double compound node on the face zone because the lip zone is oversized but this will be useful on figures like Dawn and V4.

@trekkiegrrrl only one I can think of is that if you rename the Simple_Color node as PMC:Color, you can use @bagginsbill 's Parmatic script to change colours from the parameters palette simultaneously on multiple materials (provided you have the Parmatic version which supports such use).

@trekkiegrrrl only one I can think of is that if you rename the Simple_Color node as PMC:Color, you can use @bagginsbill 's Parmatic script to change colours from the parameters palette simultaneously on multiple materials (provided you have the Parmatic version which supports such use).

Yes although I started writing a replacement for paramatic that didn't rely on PM: PMC: coding, just never got around to implementing it :( But thats why I used the simple_color I also like to see it as a separate element, purely personal choice.

@bagginsbill OK, but I am uncomfortable with diluting any part of the credit you are due for its development and release, and since people know it's your baby, and will look to you first to find the latest version, I don't want to muddy the waters by having multiple versions out that confuse people.

So. Parmatic3.zip contains my modified version with the original Parmatic2ReadMe.txt and an additional Parmatic3ReadMe.txt with details of which files were changed and how/why. Any questions, please PM me.

[EDIT: It feels like I've been writing configuration management log files based on diff comparisons of files for literally decades, now... Oh, wait, I have... At least this time they were my mods, rather than someone else's cryptic changes. :-) ]

@amethystpendant weird, but absolutely normal for Poser. With my snow slush P-node masked transparency layer, the boots originally looked just semi-transparent in preview. Now they "appear" completely invisible until rendered! Now you know why @bagginsbill doesn't waste his time with Preview. OpenGL preview is so far from being useful for gauging how a SF render will appear as to be a complete joke.

At least we have the Raytrace Preview now, though it would be nice if there were a preview mode setting for it, so you don't have to wait forever if your final render settings have high numbers of samples.

@anomalaus Yes I know, but as I do a lot of dynamics, having the preview show as if I have poke through is a pain, moving to sreeed works better but then I lose shadows and the head, apart from the lips, turns white :(